Mitchell, Sprunger see bills pass out of the House
The Montana state Capitol building in Helena on June 16, 2023. (Matt Baldwin/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead Valley legislators this week shepherded a clutch of bills through the Montana House of Representatives, including legislation related to work status verification, voting and petitioning, and a resolution celebrating Donald Trump’s presidency.
Two bills sponsored by Rep. Braxton Mitchell, R-Columbia Falls, affecting how petitioners solicit signatures passed roughly along party lines. HB 179 provides that inactive voters who sign a petition will not automatically be reinstated as active voters and HB 201 requires signature gatherers for petitions to wear a button informing signatories of their home state and if they are being compensated for advocacy work.
Mitchell earned pushback on a third item, a resolution congratulating President Donald Trump on winning the presidency, on Feb. 3.
“The state of Montana vigorously supports and encourages President Trump in his relentless efforts to combat the insidious ‘woke’ agenda, aligning with Montana's steadfast commitment to uphold traditional values, preserve its cultural heritage, and safeguard the well-being of its citizens,” reads one section of the resolution.
Other sections include language labeling former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Montana Sen. Jon Tester as “far-left radical[s],” supporting Trump’s aggressive approach to border control and asserting that Montanans have “rejected the Democratic Party and its policies.”
The resolution’s terminology garnered critique from both sides of the aisle. Fellow lawmakers accused Mitchell of being purposefully inflammatory.
“With all good respect to my great friend from the Flathead, and I mean that in all seriousness, reading the text of the resolution here, I find some of the language amounts to some childish trolling in certain sections,” said George Nikolakakos, R-Great Falls.
An amendment removing much of the resolution’s more controversial language received 49 votes, narrowly missing the necessary majority. The resolution is expected to receive a third vote in the House on Wednesday
HB 226, sponsored by Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, also passed the House with 87 votes in favor. Otherwise known as the LEGAL Act, the bill aims to boost the state’s ability to investigate and penalize employers using workers in the country illegally.
HB 179, HB 201 and HB 226 will be considered by the Senate in the coming weeks. Given the bipartisan support in the House, Sprunger said she expects little pushback for the LEGAL Act.
“You know what they say,” she said. “Hope for the best and plan for the worst.”
Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at hsmalley@dailyinterlake.com.